This invention relates generally to calculators and improvements therein and more particularly to calculators which may be easily adapted to meet the specific needs of each user.
Calculators constructed according to the prior art have generally taken one of two approaches toward reducing the labor content of repetitious, routine computational tasks. The first is by means of programmability. The programmable machine has the inherent advantage of program versatility in that it can be programmed to solve problems encountered in nearly all disciplines including mathematics, science, engineering, business, finance, statistics, etc. Unfortunately, this versatility has added significantly to cost. The user is, therefore, paying for considerably more calculating capability and versatility than is required, for instance, in solving repetitive problems related to the same discipline. The approach which has recently been taken to solve this problem is that of a "dedicated" calculator. Such a machine generally has built-in, fixed programming which allows it to handle only a narrow range of problems. Even though these dedicated calculators are less expensive than programmable types, they have a serious shortcoming in that their programs can not be changed.